My Journey to Embracing the Help I Needed — CW: Depression, anxiety, mention of suicide “Yo, suicide doesn’t work like that, bro — you gotta wait for the cars.” I was J-walking across a quiet neighborhood street when someone spewed this idiotic phrase in my direction; a half-ditched effort to impress the two girls he was walking with. They…

12 Realities and Tips for Job Hunting in a Post-2020 World — Like so many others, I began 2020 by plunging into the dark and muddy waters of unemployment. The jobs and positions that had been my reliable source of income disappeared as did my decently paying side-hustle (entertainment, acting, public speaking). An entire industry that I had known, developed skills in…

The Dark Stories Behind Your Favourite Christmas Songs — As new headlines of a fear and uncertainty abound on a near-hourly basis, we are once again faced with a holiday season of division, worry, and isolation. Omicron, Delta, business closures, and lockdown measures are just a few of the things that may be occupying our brains just days away…

Breaking Down the First Few Pages of King’s Debut Novel — I’m always intrigued in a special sort of way when I read the novel that kicked off a famous author’s career. What is it about that particular book that struck a hard enough chord in the collective zeitgeist to propel said storyteller into fame and fortune? …

Keeping the reader engaged in your story — Awhile ago, I had the good fortune of hosting a webinar with a few editors from a popular publishing house who gave their advice and fielded questions from novice writers. I asked them what were some common writing mistakes they saw authors make in submissions and how to avoid them. …

Why Spooky Tales are Perfect for the Holidays — There’s a lyric in “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” that always confused me growing up. As Andy Williams magnificently croons his way through the cheery tune, he states that “there’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago.” Scary ghost stories…

The Fallacy of Clinging to a Purpose — One of my all-time favorite films growing up was the Richard Dreyfuss-driven mellow-drama, “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” To say the story of composer turned school teacher spoke to me is an understatement. Young Mr. …

I Know Undoubtedly He Is Real — At least that’s what I adamantly told my peers who insisted otherwise. We were approaching that age … the age where childhood begins to fade away, giving birth to the painful, practical reality of adulthood. …

And Why “The Secret” Doesn’t — Here’s the thing: Like so many others, I was obsessed with The Secret when it first came out. When I was a child I had yearned, endlessly, for magical powers. I wanted the kind of abilities Mara Wilson spouted throughout Matilda. Or perhaps Carrie White. But I would settle for…